This War's Not Over
by flutterbybutterflyx
Summary: AU: Jerome is an Army Corporal and has been called to service in Afghanistan {Rated K for violence and shenanigans in later chapters}
1. Prologue: The Goodbye

this is just the prologue, the rest of the story will come at a later date, basically Jerome is in the Army and is being called to duty in Afghanistan.

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**And finding answers****  
****Is forgetting all of the questions we call home****  
****Passing the graves of the unknown**

Shattered, Trading Yesterday

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"Why do you need to go?" Mara whispered with a tear running down her cheek

"I don't want to go either," Jerome lay a hand on her shoulder "but it's duty."

"Promise to me that you'll think of me while you are away" she said

"Every day," he replied

He bent down and kissed her forehead and ran a finger beneath her teary eyes. She looked up, his blue eyes beaming down on her. Confiding in Jerome always comforted her; it was as though when she was with him every fear she had was washed away.

Mara Smiled, "I'll miss you Corporal Clarke" she teased, reaching up and stealing is cap from his head and placing it on her own.

"I'll miss you too Miss Jaffray" he said snatching his cap back, "And I'm not leaving without this or they won't let me go" he faked a small laugh but you could see the pain in his eyes.

"Maybe I'll just take it back then" she said with a slight waver in her voice, "If it means you'd get to stay". The tears came back to her eyes as she left Jerome's gaze.

"Listen Mara," he said calmingly "I will never, ever stop thinking about you" now, even Corp. Jerome Clarke started to tear, "I Love You Mara" he whispered

"I Love You too Jerome"

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please review :), the next chapter will be longer


	2. Chapter 1: After You Left

part 2 now, sorry it's still quite short, not a lot happens here but it needs to be read to tie the story together

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**Goodbye My Lover  
Goodbye My Friend  
You Have Been the One  
The One For Me  
**Goodbye My Lover, James Blunt

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The car pulled out of the drive and Mara pulled a brave face and waved him off, but as the cab turned the corner, she turned away and ran inside as the tears welled up and started sliding down her cheeks. She took out the photo that she had in her pocket and stared at it with tear-stained eyes. Jerome was smiling up at her and she was smiling beside him, this photo had only been taken a few weeks ago, before Jerome had been told he would be heading to Afghanistan. Mara had planned that looking at the photo was going to help her succumb to the fact that Jerome was gone, but it had quite the opposite effect. Slowly drop by drop the photograph was smudging as Mara's tears fell gently onto it. She ran to the bedroom and jumped on the bed, curling into a ball and sobbing.

Crying wasn't going to fix anything, yes Jerome was gone, but her crying wasn't going to bring him back and Mara knew that; she knew that sooner or later she was going to need to get a grip of herself and carry on with life as though nothing had happened. She decided that sooner was better than later. It wasn't that everything was okay now, it wasn't, and it never would be, but everyone else didn't need to know that.

Mara walked over to the dressing table and picked up her necklace, and placed it around her neck, the letter 'J' sparkling in the light, she took a deep breath before getting up and going downstairs.

The steam was rising from the kettle, there's nothing like a nice hot cup of tea to cheer you up. She took a sip and instantly felt better. She flicked on the television and watched an episode of 'Gray's Anatomy' before flipping up her laptop to reveal her desktop background, a picture of her and Jerome. She slammed the lid over quickly to avoid causing herself anymore pain and as she did so, her phone buzzed.

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I apologize for the tedium of that chapter but I had to get it out of the way,

feel free to review :)


	3. Chapter 2: The Journey

this chapter is set at the same time as the previous chapter only from Jerome's POV

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**Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane  
****Don't know when I'll be back again  
****Oh baby I hate to go**

Leaving on a Jet Plane, John Denver

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The cab journey was almost silent; Jerome wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Been in the army for long?" the taxi driver asked, attempting to make conversation, but Jerome didn't answer; he just stared out of the window at the beautiful country that he was leaving behind. The only other thing that he knew was this beautiful was his girlfriend Mara.

Mara and Jerome met in school and after finishing, they did go their separate ways, Mara had gone to Cambridge to study medicine while Jerome had gone to Military school for training. A few years later they stumbled across each other while out in London, had a drink in Starbucks and started dating again. Three years later they bought a house and moved in together, they had never been happier.

Now however Jerome was heading out to do his service in the army and he didn't know when he would return, if he ever would return. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled photograph of him and Mara from their first ever date, ten years ago, back whenever they didn't know what the future held for either of them, but now things were different.

"What did you say?" Jerome asked the driver.

"I haven't said anything for a few minutes" he responded, "but earlier I asked if you had been in the army for long but you didn't respond, I assumed you were asleep"

"I'm just thinking," Jerome replied "and seven years now"

"Well good luck" the taxi driver replied

The Taxi pulled up at the barracks, were the jet was ready to take off. Jerome stuck the picture back in his pocket, grabbed his duffle and got out of the cab.

"Clarke" he said walking up to the gate,

"Go ahead Corporal" he replied, so Jerome went through the gates. He met up with is battalion mates and they boarded the plane.

"Ready for take off"

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thanks for reading! feel free to review


	4. Chapter 3: The Call

back to Mara's POV now- set directly after chapter 1

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**Did you ever know that you're my hero,  
and everything I would like to be?  
I can fly higher than an eagle,  
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.**

Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler

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Mara checked her phone; it was Amber. That was just what she needed a girly chat with Amber to cheer her up. Amber always cheered her up although they had a history they were best friends.

"Hey Amber" she answered

"Mara!" Amber screamed down the phone hurting Mara's ears a little "I have so much to tell you"

"Me too Amz," she replied "you go first though, yours is obviously important". An Amber dilemma was the perfect way to take her mind off Jerome who she knew would be well underway now. She would need to tell Amber later but for now she could put her focus on Amber and her story.

"Do you see what I mean?" Amber said. Mara realized she had been so focused on what she was going to tell Amber she had completely missed the story

"Um maybe you should just talk to them," she made up, trying to work out what Amber had been talking about, normally all she talked about was clothes or people she met.

"You always give the best advice Mara, thank you" obviously she had one something right although she wasn't quite sure what that was. "so, how's everything with Jerome" There it was. The question that she had been dreading.

"Good," she tried to sound positive but there was a croak in her voice so Amber knew that that wasn't quite true.

"Mara," she said sounding concerned, "Everything isn't okay is it, you are still together aren't you? I haven't been really stupid oh my, I'm so sorry"

"Amber chill, it's fine"

"oh phew that's a relief I would die if anything happened to you two"

"I wouldn't say that so quickly if I were you" Mara said calmly

"What" Amber replied, "I'm confused"

"Jerome left this morning to do service in Afghanistan" Amber gasped "I'm not sure when he'll be back or if he will at all but I'm praying that he does"

"I'm so sorry Mara I never should have mentioned it"

"It's okay Amber, talking helps; I need to get it out of my system"

"Alright well we need to go out for coffee and shopping sometime"

"Definitely," Mara agreed "Bye Amber"

"Bye Mara" Amber said finally before hanging up, leaving Mara alone once again, she did feel better though now she had talked about it but thoughts of Jerome were always going through her head.

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feel free to review, the story does get better i promise


	5. Chapter 4: An Arrival to Remember

this chapter is from whenever Jerome lands in Afghanistan and the aftermath

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**Hold your breath when a blackbird flies  
Count to seventeen and close your eyes  
I'll keep you safe inside**

S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W, My Chemical Romance

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The plane landed and Jerome exited, the warm Middle Eastern air hitting his skin as he did so. Base camp greeted him and he found his station; six years training had all come down to this moment. He had just about got settled in whenever an extremely loud, unexpected explosion echoed through the tent.

"Bomb!" one of the new inductees screamed sounding slightly panicked, Jerome thought the army may not have been the right place for that young man to be. Even when faced with death, Jerome still managed to bring the best into everything; that was a lesson he had learnt from Mara.

"Don't panic lieutenant" one of the senior officers said assertively "that's just a regular think they enjoy doing just to make sure we're still awake"

"Phew, that's a relief" the young lieutenant sighed "I'm only just here I'm not going to get blown up immediately" the tent fell silent and the lieutenant stood there awkwardly not knowing what to do so he sat down and went about unpacking again, not like he hadn't already unpacked everything he had brought with him, it wasn't a lot.

"Urgent message from the general" a soldier yelled as he ran in the entrance clutching a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. One of the senior officers ran and grabbed the note from him and scanned his eyes quickly across it.

"Everybody leave the tent now" he commanded "take a gun with you, we're heading to the battlefield"

"I thought it was only a pretend bomb" the young lieutenant screamed again "I'm too young today"

"Well it's a good thing you signed up for the army then isn't it" the officer said sarcastically. The lieutenant didn't have a response, "either you come and fight now or I want you gone from my battalion by the time we return"

As they stepped out of the tent another bomb went off the ground shook almost knocking Jerome off his feet, this was going to be an intense first day on duty.

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thanks for reading, review if you feel like it, all reviews are appreciated :)


	6. Chapter 5: Yes, Ja, Si, Oui

jumping into the future now, set almost a month after the first chapters

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**Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea,  
to the open arms of the sea, yeah!  
Lonely rivers sigh "wait for me, wait for me"  
I'll be coming home, Wait for me**

Unchained Melody, Righteous Brothers

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Mara woke up early one morning, earlier than normal that was. Mara had to be out of the house early to get to the hospital on time, as a newly qualified radiologist Mara spent most of her time at the local hospital. As she was eating her breakfast about to leave the post came through the door. Mara ran to the door hoping for news of Jerome's whereabouts and what he had been up to it had been almost a month since Jerome had left and she still hadn't received a letter, but still Mara ran anyway and there it was lying on the mat, the letter, the letter she had been waiting ever so long to find. It was in a brown envelope and had been penned in Jerome's handwriting addressed to her 'Dr. M Jaffray'. She opened the letter and read:

My dear Mara,  
I have been so incredibly busy that I haven't had time to write, time at war has been hectic and we are constantly fighting, the general says that we picked a bad time to come, the weeks previous to our arrival had been remotely peaceful we were greeted by a bomb killing several of our battalion but thankfully I survived.

Mara exhaled immensely after reading that line, he was still alive and that's all that mattered.

I think about you all the time, you're the only thing that is keeping me sane and I can't wait to see you again  
Love, Jerome x  
P.S I left you a present in the coffee jar, I knew you wouldn't look in there.

Mara threw down the letter and ran to the kitchen and opened the coffee jar, Jerome was right she hadn't looked in there; Mara despised coffee whereas Jerome couldn't get enough of it.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!" Mara screamed, tears of joy running down her face, when she opened the jar, there shimmering in the light was a ring, not just any old ring a beautiful diamond encrusted engagement ring. In that moment Mara had never been happier and she had never loved Jerome more. She turned over the letter and found a reply address, she quickly ran and grabbed a notecard and responded,

'Yes, Yes one million times yes, Ja, Si Oui'

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I thought I'd throw in some happiness, enjoy :) feel free to review


	7. Chapter 6: Remember The Fallen

between this chapter and the last Jerome and mara have sent each other many letters and this is several months later, this chapters a bit of a tear jerker

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**No matter how fierce the spirit or mind  
Blades striking, the king's heart declined  
Round he spun, and down he fell  
No scream, no word, no cowardice yell**

Thermopylae- Ancient Rites

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"Come on Lieutenant," Jerome called out "or do you want to get into trouble again"

"Coming Corporal" he cried, Jerome had been paired with the young lieutenant and they had been sent out on a mission. Their battalion had only travelled so far and reached a point were only a few could cross. The young lieutenant had been chosen as most of the fellow soldiers wished death upon him, not that they wanted him to die as such, they just would prefer not to have his company. Jerome on the other hand had volunteered, his best friends from the battalion were forcing him to volunteer at first but he did volunteer on his own free will, he knew the lieutenant trusted him; he had spent enough time with him to know the ins and outs of how his brain worked although there wasn't a lot to discover.

"Corporal Clarke?" he said inquisitively

"What?" Jerome snapped. The war had brought out the worst in him, he was glad Mara couldn't see him this way.

"Are we going to die?"

"I don't know lieutenant" he answered, trying to sound convincing, "I really don't". Of course Jerome knew; death was upon them with every step they took, they were on Taliban territory and they were gaining ever nearer. They weren't returning to basecamp that night they were going to keep watch all night.

"Corporal Clarke?" the lieutenant said warily.

"What is it?" Jerome said quietly so as not to be heard.

"There's a man over there and he's holding something" Jerome almost jumped up but then remembered that they were meant to be disguised.  
"Get behind me lieutenant" Jerome commanded, and the lieutenant hesitated. "Don't question it just do what I say" he got behind Jerome, his body concealing him. He was watching the afghan soldiers every move, he was holding a grenade. "When he throws this grenade, my body will protect you"

"Corporal Clarke! No!" the young lieutenant exclaimed

"Just do what I say, whenever it explodes if you are still alive I want you to play dead and after they retreat go back to basecamp, tell the General and then stay and write a letter to Mara, she needs to know from a firsthand perspective" Jerome almost started to cry but fought his tears, he was an army corporal after all, "Understood?"

"Understood," the lieutenant agreed.

"Good" Jerome took out the photo of him and Mara that he kept concealed in his uniform, kissed it and he prepared himself. He stuck up one arm into view so that the soldier could see it; he called out to his comrades and threw the grenade.

"Run, Lieutenant, Run" Jerome said to the soldier concealed beneath him, so the lieutenant ran back to basecamp and did as he was instructed, Jerome held up the photograph in front of his eyes, he wanted the last thing he saw to be Mara, not a battlefield.

The world went black.

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review if you feel like it, all reviews are appreciated :)


	8. Chapter 7: The Last Letter

This Chapter is quite angsty so be warned

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**Late in December  
a day she'll not forget  
Oh her tears stained the paper  
with every word that she read  
**Letters From War- Mark Schultz

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The letters came through the letter box and thudded onto the mat. Mara ran to the door as she always did waiting for another letter from Jerome, and there it was the same brown crumpled envelope as always but as she picked it up she realized something wasn't right. The handwriting on the envelope wasn't Jerome's! She ripped open the envelope, dreading what she was going to find inside.

Dear Dr. Jaffray or Mara as I have been instructed to call you,  
I am a friend of your fiancé Corporal Clarke, we were battalion mates and he told me that if anything were to happen to him, I was to write you this letter. I just think you should know that corporal Clarke was one of the bravest men I ever had the pleasure of knowing, but you'll probably be more interested in what happened to Jerome.

Mara paused for breath, the tears starting to tumble down her cheeks. She was still trying to fathom what she had just read before she read on.

Corporal Clarke and I were on duty in crossfire, I trusted Jerome with my life and that is something that I think you should be aware of, it was the two of us alone the rest of the squad had to abandon us. While we were camping we discovered a Taliban soldier holding a grenade. Jerome performed a selfless act of bravery. He threw himself in front of me to stop me getting hit by the grenade. He said then that I had to go back and report the incident to a general and write to you. Currently Corporal Clarke is in intensive care at the military hospital and he has a 10% chance of survival, I know this letter will be difficult for you to read but you should be very proud of your fiancé he truly was a fantastic man and a truly phenomenal soldier.  
Yours Sincerely, Care of Corporal Jerome Clarke

Mara's life, which had been so good, had suddenly come crashing down around her. The tears were streaming down her face. She held the letter tightly as she ran into the living room and threw herself on the sofa and started sobbing, at this moment Mara didn't want anything to do with the world. She took of the engagement ring and threw it at the wall; the last thing that Mara wanted to think about right now was her essentially dead fiancé. Mara sat up and placed her head in her knees and tried to forget everything that she had just read but it didn't work, she just wanted to curl up and cry forever, right now that seemed like the best option, it wasn't as if things were going to get better quickly it would take time for her to get over what was happening, so for now she was just going to cry.

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Feel free to review if you enjoyed it


	9. Chapter 8: Let Me Go

this chapters really short because I've been busy but i wanted to get it posted- slight mild language

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**Although the truth may vary  
This ship will carry  
our bodies straight to shore  
**Little Talks, Of Monsters and Men

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"What do you want doctor?" the gate keeper asked,

"I'm a doctor right?" Mara replied

"Yes. And?" he replied inquisitively.

"My fiancé is lying practically dead in a military hospital in Afghanistan so I suggest you get me on a plane right now or there will be consequences" Mara enforced.

"Such as?" the gate keeper challenged.

"My fiancé has just been blown up by a grenade and I am using everything in my willpower not to burst into tears in front of you" Mara yelled at him "I'm sorry if I sound pissed off but please," Mara's voice cracked, "I am an experienced doctor and I'm not entirely happy where I am so maybe you'll let me go, a change of career and a chance to see my fading fiancé one last time may be good for me."

The gate keeper stared at her, never had he been spoken to in that manner, at least not by a non-military member. "I'll see what I can do" he sighed reluctantly.

"Thank you" Mara bleated out before running back to her car.

"Dr. Jaffray!" the gate keeper called out, "We'll call you whenever we're ready for you"

"I'll be waiting" Mara said, when she got into the car, she waited for a few minutes before driving away. She looked at her hand, the ring sparkling on her finger. She realized that forgetting Jerome never existed wasn't the best way to go. She took out the photo of her and Jerome that she had in her bag and stared at it for a few seconds before grasping it tightly and driving away. She needed to get a good rest before making the journey to Afghanistan.

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i know this was really bad but review if you want to :)


	10. Chapter 9: Hold My Hand

Mara has landed in Afghanistan to start her new job as a military doctor.

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**No dust will ever grow on this frame,  
One million years and I will say your name.  
I love you more than I can ever scream  
**The Mortician's Daughter- Black Veil Brides

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The plane landed and the warm Middle Eastern air hitting Mara's skin as she exited.

"Dr. Jaffray I presume" the nurse said, she was obviously high up in rankings as she moved with great authority.

"Yes" Mara replied "That's me"

"Corporal Clarke's fiancé?"

"Yeah" she said softly, "Is he alright?"

"He's very low," the nurse replied "in his last few days, seeing you before he goes could be good for him and for you, I presume that is why you came?"

Mara started tearing but quickly wiped her eyes so that nobody would notice and nodded "Can you show me to the tent now" she said assuredly.

"Of course doctor. This way" the nurse guided Mara over to the infirmary tent where many injured soldiers were lying, some unconscious, some awake but badly injured. As the ventured further into the tent Mara saw exactly what she didn't want to see, she knew it was going to be bad but not as bad as what she saw before her. Jerome was bloodied and wrapped in bandages, she could hardly recognize him through the wounds he had all over his body. Mara dealt with this sort of thing all the time but this time it was different, this time it was Jerome.

She stroked his forehead and started tearing slightly and his hand reached up and touched hers, his eyes opened slowly,

"Mara?" he said

"Yes Jerome, it's me" she sighed as she grasped his hand tightly and rubbed it gently

"Thank you for coming" he breathed out

"I wasn't going to let you go without saying goodbye"

"Who said anything about going anywhere?" Jerome joked

Mara managed a slight giggle, "nobody, now go to sleep"

She sat by his bed until he fell asleep whenever another injured soldier was rushed in and one of the nurses called out.

"Dr. Jaffray, we need you"

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thanks for reading :) feel free to review


	11. Chapter 10: Battlefield

this chapter is quite dramatic and quite depressing so be warned

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**Like ships bound for shipwreck,  
most people just simply drift along,  
and miss their destination without knowing anything is wrong  
**Lighthouse, Anthem Lights

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"This one's badly injured but there's another one on the battlefield" the nurse called out, "we need you to go and get it."

A lump swelled up in Mara's throat, this was the same battlefield that Jerome had almost died on, I was the last place that she wanted to go but she understood that as an army doctor there were things that had to be done, whether she liked them or not.

She could see the mangled body lying there corpselike, it wasn't moving, his chest moving neither up nor down. Mara knew that this soldier wasn't going to have a happy ending.

"Where's Mara?" Jerome sighed to a nurse in the tent.

"She went out to collect a fallen soldier from the battlefield" the nurse replied,

Jerome jumped back with disbelief, "What?" he screamed "I just got her back and now you're stealing her from me again"

"Wait, Corporal Clarke. Nobody said anything about taking her away" the nurse replied

"Are you an idiot or something" Jerome screamed back "she's never been on a battlefield in her life, you've led her straight to her death" Jerome started heading out of the tent

"Corporal Clarke!" the nurse called after him "You are in no fit state to leave this tent!"

"I don't need you telling me what I can or cannot do when my fiancée's life is at risk" Jerome ran out of the tent and out into the open air.

"Mara!" Jerome called out repeatedly, until he reached the battlefield where he saw her kneeling down around the body doing everything she could to bring him back, he looked the other way and saw an afghan soldier walking towards her "Mara!" Jerome screamed as the soldier progressed.

"Jerome?" Mara said confused but as she turned around she screamed.

The soldier charged with his gun and Jerome darted towards her, jumped at her and as they collided and rolled along the battlefield, the gun fired, twice. Both Jerome and Mara felt a sharp pain traversing through their bodies as they lay down and closed their eyes.

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thanks for reading, review if you liked it


	12. Chapter 11: Emptiness

pretty sure that you will all hate me after this chapter, lots of angst and some mild language so be prepared

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**Now you are gone, now you are gone  
there you go, there you go,  
somewhere you're not coming back  
**Slipped Away, Avril Lavigne

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Jerome opened his eyes to find himself back in the infirmary; he could feel a sharp pain in his shoulder which he figured was where he had been shot. He looked around and saw numerous flowers surrounding him, he was slightly confused. One of the nurses saw him stirring so she walked over to him.

"Normally after one life-threatening injury most soldiers are let go and kept off the battlefield but not you corporal" she said "two times you've been close to death and two times you have survived" she said in a very somber tone as if hiding something from him.

Jerome tried to look vaguely interested in what she was saying he was skimming his eye around the tent looking for Mara but she was nowhere to be seen,

"Where's Mara?" he asked the nurse

The nurse's head bowed, she didn't want to look Jerome in the eye and tell him the news that he was dreading to hear.

"Seriously, where is Mara?" he asked his voice growing angrier.

"I'm not one to tell you anything" the nurse replied trying to keep calm "you'll need to speak to the head"

Jerome grew more impatient, he didn't care about the searing pain in his shoulder he just got up out of the bed and marched over to the head nurse. "Where is Mara?" he demanded

"I'm sorry Corporal Clarke, Did you not know" the head nurse said to him

"Not know what?" Jerome replied, confused "has something happened?"

The nurses surrounding him all dropped their heads to stare at the floor while the head spoke up "Dr. Jaffray is dead" the nurse said.

"What?" Jerome said tears welling up in his eyes "How… When… Why?" he couldn't string a sentence together, thoughts of Mara were running through his head. His mind was all jumbled up, he didn't know what to do, he wanted to break something or shout but he couldn't even fathom the words to do that. All that Jerome could do was stand there with tears running down his face and his mouth open in awe.

"Corporal Clarke?" the nurse said "Are you okay?"

"No I am not bloody okay" Jerome yelled back "Can you not see that, my fiancée, my favourite person on the earth has just died within my grasp, how do you think I feel, there is an emptiness in my heart now and it will never be filled, I have almost died twice, but now I wish I could have died in that last attack because it means I would have been with her"

"We're sorry Corporal, that's not what she meant" one of the nurses replied.

"I don't care what she meant" he snapped back "all I care about at this moment is Mara and I would appreciate it if I could be left alone.

The nurses agreed and left Jerome at peace, he sat down in the corner and thought about what his life would be now. He knew that after two major injuries he wouldn't be fighting again, but he couldn't go home and if he did it wouldn't feel like home, not anymore, not without Mara there.

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*prepares for things to be thrown at me* Sorry! it had to be done, review if you want :)


	13. Chapter 12: I Will Always Love You

Mara's funeral, again you will probably all hate me so warning you in advance

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**Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees  
Time can break your heart, have you begging please, begging please  
Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure  
And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven  
**Tears in Heaven, Eric Clapton

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As Jerome wiped the tears from his eyes he made his way up to the front of the church his hand swiping the coffin as he went, he turned around to address the black clad congregation and a lump swelled up in his throat. Everyone staring back at him had tear stained eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled piece of paper in his pocket. He could hardly read the words imprinted on it as the words had been smudged with tears but he didn't need them, they were his own words and they had come straight from his heart. This was the worst day of his life. Fabian ran up and laid his hand on him to comfort him quickly then he sat back down, leaving Jerome alone again.

"Thank you all for coming" he choked, he looked out; his friends were attempting to smile at him and telling him that it was going to be alright. So he continued,

"When she shall die, take her and cut her out in little stars, and she will make the face of heaven so fine that the entire world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun. This is a line from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet; I think that this is how we should be remembering Mara, a beautiful girl who died at the wrong time, I feel worse about it because I was so close to death twice yet survived both times. Sometimes I wish that the soldier could have taken me as well, I know that was his intention but he didn't succeed twice. I know I am lucky to still be alive but life now will never be the same now that Mara has gone." He paused for a second; he drew a sharp intake of breath to calm himself down before continuing. The tears started to roll down his face as he carried on. "A lot of you know that Mara and I had our ups and downs in the past but also that we were our happiest when we were together. I had hoped to marry Mara as soon as I returned from Afghanistan and left her a ring as a leaving present which she is wearing today and will take to the grave with her so that she will know that I never stopped loving her. I know now that I will never love anyone else as much as I loved Mara and that is one thing that will always stand true, I love you Doctor Mara Clarke, Rest in Peace"

The congregation applauded as Jerome took his seat next to Amber and Poppy as he broke down amber lay a hand on his back and whispered to him "It's okay to cry Jerome, Mara would want you to cry" he lay a head on her shoulder as the service continued. When it ended Jerome along with five others carried the coffin out of the church and into the hearse as they headed to the graveyard. They stood in silence as the coffin was lowered into the ground, all that could be heard were the tears dropping onto the ground below.

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I'm sorry for ruining your happiness again but review if you want :)


	14. Epilogue: In My Time of Dying

just a quick epilogue to finish off the story, I'm not entirely sure if you'll take this chapter well or not

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**Take my hand and lead me to salvation,  
take my love for love is everlasting  
**The Epilogue, Les Miserábles

* * *

Jerome looked around the living room where he was sitting alone, it had been 53 years since Mara had died and by his word; Jerome had never loved another. He had lived a solitary life and suffered with PTSD without aid. He had lived in the same house that he and Mara used to share. He wanted to keep her memory alive. The pictures were hanging on the walls surrounding him; they reminded him of the person that he loved the most. Nothing had changed in the house in 53 years everything looked exactly as it did when Jerome left for Afghanistan.

Jerome was old. He had lived longer than expected for a soldier and he knew now that he was nearing the end of his life. His legs were stiff and he had trouble moving, which is why he spent most of his day sitting in the living room staring around him.

"Jerome" he heard a whisper in his ear "Jerome" he turned his head to figure out where the voice was coming from.

"Who are you?" he said anxiously

"Don't you recognize me" the voice said. Jerome did of course but he struggled to believe that it was true.

"Are you a ghost" he whispered back

"I'm a memory" the voice whispered back "When it is your time to die, sometimes you are greeted by your loved ones who have passed"

Jerome blinked, he saw Mara's face smiling at him, she was still young but he had aged considerably.

"Come with me" Mara's voice whispered, "it's time"

Jerome reached out his hand and as he did so his eyes closed, this time, it was for the last time.

* * *

thank you for reading, I hope it didn't kill you too much :) feel free to review


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